VMN Statewide Conference
2026 Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training
Overview
When
The 2026 Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Training will be Friday, September 18 through Sunday, September 20. Pre-conference field trips and activities will take place during the day on Friday and the main event will run Friday evening through Sunday, mid-day.
Where
Our Fairfax and Banshee Reeks Chapters welcome VMN volunteers from across Virginia to the Northern region. We will be based at the Westin Washington Dulles Airport in Herndon, Virginia.
What
The Virginia Master Naturalist Statewide Conference and Volunteer Training is an opportunity for VMN volunteers to share ideas and learn from each other, to participate in high-quality continuing education sessions, and to learn about a region of Virginia that may be different from their home communities.
Each year, one or more of our local VMN chapters serve as the host chapter(s) for the conference, helping to choose programming that showcases their local natural areas, presenters, and style. The programming includes both on-site sessions and off-site field trips to visit natural resource highlights of the area. We emphasize hands-on learning and skill-building, trying to choose sessions that relate to the education, citizen science, and stewardship volunteer work that VMN volunteers do.
Who
Due to the nature and limited space of our VMN conference, only VMN members, VMN trainees, and partners from our state agency sponsors (including chapter advisors) may attend.
Conference Schedule – At-a-glance
*This is a draft schedule and subject to change
Friday, September 18
9:00am-5:00pm — Pre-conference Field Trips
4:00-6:00pm — Registration
5:00-6:00pm — Welcome Reception
6:00-7:00pm — Dinner
7:00-8:00pm — Chapter Share Fair
8:00-9:00pm — Evening Activities (optional)
Saturday, September 19
8:15-9:00am — Registration
9:00am-12:00pm — Morning Sessions
12:15-1:15pm — Lunch
1:30-4:30pm — Afternoon Sessions
5:30-6:00pm — Evening Social
6:00-7:00pm — Dinner
7:00-8:30pm — Evening Activities (optional)
Sunday, September 20
7:30-8:30am — President’s Breakfast
8:00am-1:00pm — Boxed Lunches available for pickup
9:00am-12:00pm — Sunday Sessions (includes field trips and classroom sessions)
Lodging
Lodging will be at The Westin Washington Dulles Airport, our conference venue.
Organizers have a block of rooms reserved at a group rate for VMN Conference attendees. The room block has a good-sized, but limited, number of rooms available. Room blocks, by definition, are not infinite.
When the room block becomes full, we may be able to add more rooms if the hotel has them available but this is not guaranteed. If you find that you are not able to book a room in our room block, please contact Tiffany at tiffany.brown@vt.edu or 540-231-0790 and she will contact the hotel.
The group rate will be $129 per night plus tax for a single king room or a double queen room. The group rate will close on September 7, 2026.
Booking information will be posted here in the spring of 2026.
Registration
Registration information will posted here in spring of 2026.
ADA Accommodation
If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact VMN Program Assistant Tiffany Brown at 540-231-0790 (TDD*) during business hours of 9am-5pm to discuss accommodations at least 5 days prior to the event.
*TDD number is (800) 828-1120
Conference Sessions and Instructors
Information will be posted when it becomes available in early summer 2026.
Connect with Us
For general inquiries about the Virginia Master Naturalist program, please contact:
masternaturalist@vt.edu540-231-0790